<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>I know the real you by Zalakbian</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26068930">I know the real you</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zalakbian/pseuds/Zalakbian'>Zalakbian</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Injury Recovery</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 12:23:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,191</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26068930</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zalakbian/pseuds/Zalakbian</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Felix gets hurt in a training accident, Mercedes insists on treating his injuries. They each learn something from the encounter.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Felix Hugo Fraldarius/Mercedes von Martritz</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I know the real you</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This was requested by the lovely <a href="https://twitter.com/woofskaya">Woofskaya</a>, go check out their awesome art and fics!</p><p>Big thanks to my wonderful gf Kathryn for helping to beta this, I love you &lt;3</p><p>If you like this, please consider joining to talk about it on the <a href="https://discord.gg/m2AVbJ3">Edeleth Discord Server</a> I run! You can also <a href="https://twitter.com/MariMari07_01">follow me on Twitter!</a></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Felix really should have known better than to spar with the Boar Prince in such a mood. Lately between Sylvain’s inane antics, Ingrid’s frustrating insistence, and Dimitri’s own feigned innocence, he was ready to run up a wall, like an over boiled tea kettle about to shoot off. So of course he had accepted a proposition from the Prince to duel, after all, sparring was an effective means of relieving stress. However, if one of the participants is currently distracted by thoughts of friends trying to drag him to double dates, or bringing up memories of his dead older brother, it can lead to disaster.</p><p>    “Felix! Watch out!” Someone had called out, and he had only just enough time to put his training sword into a feeble block before one of Dimitri’s monster swings sent him flying. The training grounds went quiet as a horrid sounding ‘crunch’ pierced the air. Felix was left in a crumpled mess on the stone floor, cuts and bruises dotting his unprotected skin, and thinking that he must have landed on an outstretched arm due to how much pain it was in.</p><p>    Footsteps came quickly as Felix struggled to right himself up, including a disgustingly familiar gauntleted hand. “Felix my sincerest apologies, let me help you to the infirmary.” Dimitri offered, but the swordsman just shooed the hand away. He would get back up on his own terms. More people tried to talk, to reason with him, but it all simply rang in Felix’s ears until it was too much.</p><p>    “Shut up! All of you!” He shouted back to the crowd. “Just… leave me be!” And he stormed off.</p><p>    …..</p><p>    Mercedes was enjoying a rare day off alone in her room, doors upon to let in the nice summer air. There she sat by the entrance with a warm cup of almond scented tea, alone, occasionally looking out to the different people casting lines at the fishing hole. Normally Mercedes spent free time with Annette, but lately they had a bit of a falling out and weren’t exactly on speaking terms. It hurt her to be without her best friend, and she could only sigh dejectedly upon seeing a pair of giggling students walk hand and hand up the stairs to the dining hall. She was resigned to this free day being mostly for contemplation, but then a rather curious sight entered her picture, or rather a certain indigo haired swordsman stumbled and tripped his way down the stairs to her level of the dorms.</p><p>    “...Felix?” Mercedes called out in concern, and he turned in the direction of the noise.</p><p>    “Ugh… stay out of this!” Felix returned, but it was a useless effort as Mercedes was already right by his side.</p><p>    “Oh my Goddess, Felix, why aren’t you at the infirmary?”</p><p>    “No reason! I’m fine, just… help me to my room.”</p><p>    But Mercedes wasn’t going to have any of this, “No way, come here let me look at your wounds.”</p><p>    “I told you I’m fine!” Felix scoffed back, trying and failing to get back up to his feet. However, Mercedes simply sighed and squeezed lightly on the swordsman’s shoulder, and the resulting scream of anguish made it abundantly clear that Felix in fact needed help sorely. “Ok… fine, I’ll come with you.” He surrendered, and entered Mercedes’ almond scented abode.</p><p>    “Please, take a seat.” Mercedes asked, gesturing to her bed. She took out a chair and sat down across from Felix, who was tenderly holding his limp right arm so as to prevent further jostling.</p><p>    “So are you just going to use your magic? I could’ve gone to anyone for that.” The swordsman continued to grumble. Instead however he was handed a rolled up piece of cloth by Mercedes and told to bite down on it. “Why? What is this for?” He questioned.</p><p>    “Because it will help with how much this is going to hurt.” Mercedes warned as caringly as possible. Felix however simply looked away with a pout, so with a single dejected, “oh well,” Mercedes grabbed hold of Felix’s injured arm and popped the dislocated joints back in place with a wicked snapping sound.</p><p>    Felix of course screamed absolute bloody murder at the action, hurting even more than his initial impact with the ground. “What the hell!” He exclaimed, the entire right half of his body twitching from aftershocks. “Weren’t you going to warn… me…” And he finally appeared at least a little humbled.</p><p>    “There, there.” Mercedes cooed as she wiped off some of the grime and blood from Felix’s cuts with a damp cloth. “You’re through the worst of it.”</p><p>    The swordsman grew a little red at the healer’s coddling and asked her to cut it out. “I’m not your little brother, Mercedes. Stop treating me like one.” Felix griped.</p><p>    Mercedes however didn’t let the words affect her, and was now giving Felix a soothing bath of healing magic. “Mmm… but you’re right, Felix. You’re my friend.” She counterclaimed.</p><p>    Felix was dumbstruck. “You… really think that?”</p><p>    “Of course!” Mercedes cheered back, applying a touch of disinfecting salve to a cut on the swordsman’s brow. “I know you may not be the most sociable type, but you might just have the biggest heart out of anyone in our class.” She claimed.</p><p>    Felix didn’t even have an answer to that, just choosing to stay silent as Mercedes fashioned him a sling for his arm, instructing to, “keep that on during the day for the next few nights, should be good as new!” All he could remember was all the rude and inconsiderate things he had said to Mercedes… and his friends, and yet here she was claiming he was really a big hearted softie?</p><p>    But he didn’t need to ask for clarification, as Mercedes happily continued to extoll his true virtues. “I can tell even from our short time knowing each other that the reason you train so hard, and criticize so strongly, is because you just don’t want to see anyone hurt… am I right?”</p><p>    Felix stared off into space for a bit before breaking into a self reflective laugh. Of course she was right, but if Mercedes was so willing to see through the chinks of armour to Felix’s true self, why couldn’t he?</p><p>    “What? Did I say something funny?” Mercedes asked with a pout.</p><p>    “No, not at all Mercedes.” Felix denied. “You’ve just given me something to think about… I think I owe a few friends an apology.”</p><p>    Mercedes smiled, and decided to raise Felix’s left hand to gently kiss the fingertips. “I probably should as well… I’m glad this has given us both something to reflect on.”</p><p>    Before Felix left, however, Mercedes reached into a small basket on the side of the table and handed him a small bag of fresh smelling cookies.</p><p>    “Thanks, but I don’t like sweets.” Felix attempted to refuse.</p><p>    “Take it anyway.” Mercedes insisted. “Eat them, or give them to someone else. I’m sure it’ll help you feel better.” She explained with a smile</p><p>    Felix took the bag and grinned back, offering one final thanks before heading out.</p><p>    “I wonder if the pals will think I made these?”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I think this is the first m/f fic I've done. Haha.</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>